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Independent Huang drops out of
presidential contest
By Lee Hsin-fang / Staff Reporter
Independent presidential hopeful
Ellen Huang, center, is pictured with supporters in Taipei on July 20. Huang
dropped out of the race yesterday.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
Ellen Huang (黃越綏), a strong proponent of
Taiwanese independence who advocated self-determination and founding a nation
through a referendum as part of her presidential bid, announced yesterday that
she was dropping out of the race.
Huang’s decision was seen as an expression of goodwill toward Democratic
Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) presidential bid.
However, the Taiwanese National Party, another pro-independence group, announced
in the afternoon that its founder, Chang Mung-hsieh (莊孟學), would enter the race.
Huang’s unexpected decision and Chuang’s entry into the race have drawn
attention, but it is said that Chang and Tsai would work toward the same goal
although their approach might be different.
Taiwanese National Party founding chairman Huang Hua (黃華) said the party’s
decision to nominate Chang would not affect Tsai’s chances in the election,
because they would only advocate the foundation of an independent Taiwan as a
nation in the election process.
“We will say what is inappropriate for Tsai to say,” Huang Hua said, adding that
they would support Tsai for president.
Ellen Huang’s campaign office spokesperson, Chang Ming-yu (張銘祐), said her
decision was indicative of consolidation within the pro-independence groups and
an expression of goodwill to Tsai.
“The process of collecting signatures to join the election was for the purpose
of emphasizing self-determination and founding a nation through referendum,”
Chang said.
Accompanied by several senior independence proponents, Peng Ming-min (彭明敏) and
Su Beng (史明), Ellen Huang held a press conference where the more than 100,000
signatures collected for her sake were unveiled.
She reaffirmed the concept of self-determination and the founding of a nation
through referendum.
Huang Hua said Chuang was a former education section chief at the Lee Teng-Hui
Academy, adding that it was the party’s view that a candidate who supports the
founding of an independent nation must join the election.
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